Tying the Difference
by MangleBug
Summary: When there's a winning team, there's always a loosing one. When RED team gets tired of being shot down every time they try to move forward, a new member is needed. Unfortunately, the new member of RED was not at all what was expected, or wanted. Rated M for ADULT themes-Language-Violence
1. The New Guy

**This is my FIRST FANFICTION, like… EVER. Not too much hate please, I'm BRAND NEW to this stuff. :3 But, I guess all the important stuff goes here, like, how ****Team Fortress 2**** is NOT mine. It's the beautiful company ****VALVe****'s. It'll get more interesting as it goes on, I hope.**

**But please, please, PLEASE review. It's greatly appreciated, and well looked into. So yeesh! Go on and do what you were here to do, READ!**

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The day started like any other, the mechanical doors swung open and out ran the REDs. Explosions boomed in every which way, slamming into the face of an unsuspecting medic, just to be thrown back into the base. The BLUs ran forward, pushing the REDs back from where they came, shouting out their profanities and ignoring all violence as they kept pushing. No cart would be shoved forward today. While the Demo set his stickys, and the Sniper aimed down his scope, the BLUs had nothing to worry about. Engineers slammed their wrenches with precision; the Medic refueled the Heavy's spirit as he stood his stance plowing down the REDs. Spy was nowhere to be seen, and the Soldier fired at every living thing, including the small lizard that had made the unfortunate decision to meander its way around the REDs base in the dusty desert of Badwater Basin. The Pyro just stood there. Thinking of who might come out and play next, for the RED team was within their base, considering their next move. Scout was anxiously bouncing on his toes, waiting for someone, anyone to come out of the base. His legs were twitchy and his palms sweaty as he stood, bat in hand, just out of sight of the big metal doors. But nothing.

There was nothing coming from REDs base. No noise, no movement. Sniper stood at his post, looking for anything that signaled a response from the opposite team. The longer he stood there, however, the less confident he began to feel. And as the BLUs waited for their chance to strike at the unappealing REDs, their confidence, too, began to dwindle. Demo pulled out his alcohol and gathered another swig, Heavy grunted in confusion, Medic reassured him, Pyro thought playtime was over but stayed alert just as his allies seemed to be doing. Scout yawned and shouted more profanities at the seemingly imaginary REDs, while the Engineer began tweaking the mechanics on his hand, and the Soldier stood confident still.

There was then a yell somewhere within the base, an exclamation of terror. And as the BLUs jumped to their alert stance, the yells and shouts grew louder. A door slid open then immediately shut. No figure seemed to walk through the doors, but not an instance later, a BLU Spy materialized before them."Ze deed is done, gentlemen." He smirked at his team mates and began walking back to their base. Eight pairs of eyes followed him in awe. He had just assassinated the whole enemy team. Just then, the sound of the administrator announced, yet again, the BLUs victory. The scout was the first to react to the whole ordeal verbally. "Aye! What took so long in there? I'm freakin' starvin'!" His feet pattered against the dusted ground as he ran back to the base. Everyone soon followed, most were disappointed they didn't get to join in any of the action. Though this was just another normal, boring day for the BLU team, a day of pushing back the REDs, and massacring them without effort. As the BLUs clambered into their base, yet again, REDs sat in their own base traumatized.

RED team was starting to get awfully tired of the crap they were put through every battle. Putting up with the pain of respawn, only to have to go through with it again. It was exhausting. The Administrator didn't help their spirits either. Sounding disappointed in them and such, bringing REDs self confidence down to a speckle of their happiness. The only good times they'd have were those of long nights in the mess hall. Throwing hats and laughing at each other's drunkenness. But only to be shot down the next morning with anguish and terror as they tried to push their cart up over the hill and beyond. They never really did get far, before the damned BLUs mowed them down. No one really had any idea what the cart was for anyways, not that it mattered. All that was important to both teams was to compete, and win, against the other. REDs Medic, after a day of tiredly healing his comrades gathered up his Medi-Gun and was off to his, laboratory, of sorts. Soldier strutted to the combat chamber, where he would practice more defense strategies with the Pyro, who would eventually get bored of his tactics and go to bed early. Sniper along with, Scout, Demoman, Spy and Engineer headed off to the mess hall to discuss the time being, and what they might do to lessen the dullness of absolute loss. A situation, which would lead into an argument that would lead into an agreement, would come out to solve a problem. To better help the REDs, to gain a small, but definable advantage on the BLUs.

Another team member.

The indisputable choice was decided that day. And Engineer took it upon himself to ask for the favor. Taking the chance he could when Soldier was conversing into the microphone that would be sent directly to The Administrator herself, he explained the horrid situation. One of which she already knew of, and hadn't planned to do anything about. But, with being how bored she was prior to the situation, and of RED Engineers Texan accent, she haphazardly agreed. Loosely explaining that the new member would arrive at REDs base sometime in the future. The Administrator took a drag of her cigarette and rolled her head back onto her chair. Recrossing her legs, she unplugged herself from the REDs transmitter. Calling out to Mrs. Pauling, she demanded the list of available recruits, only to hear Mrs. Pauling's nervous shaking voice explain that there was only one available. A Single member who would soon join this horrid RED team, she thought. Shouting at Mrs. Pauling to send them to Badwater immediately. Her response was one of fear and anxiety. "But, Ma'am! There's something about this one-!" Cut off by the Administrators bark to do as she says. Quite frankly, she doesn't care whatever is about that one, she's got a stake dinner to eat with a certain handsome man.

Weeks went by, and nothing was heard about the new team member. RED was disappointed, yet again. The weekend was one without fights, where both teams had time to re-cooperate. So there sat RED team, waiting for someone who'd never come. But then there was a clash, clank, and the honk of a horn at the front gate. In response the whole team ran as fast as they could to see what, or hopefully who, was there.

RED had no idea what class would be standing there, being one of each class already , but all had dreamed of having their own so there would finally be someone that one could relate to in such a dreary place. As they grew closer to the main gate, the more anxious they became. Already thinking of ways an extra member could help. Medic was the first one to arrive, as his lab was closest to the gate. And when it clanked, gears rolling it quickly open, his smile was cut short, hopes deprived, for what he saw standing there was a small, thin, weak looking, scout.

While the whole team arrived in false hopes, this scout kept their head down, wrapped hand grasping their own elbow. Standing there awkwardly. Engineer was the first to break the silence. "Welcome to RED base, this is where you'll be servin' us here folks." Smiling he motioned for the scout to come inside. Though REDs Scout rushed forward and shouted in excitement. Another scout! "C'mon, what's the hold up? This 'ere is your new place, It's like a palace really! A dumb old palace, but ey'-watch it there pal-anyways I'm your friend here now, so, uh, you can count on me an' stuff!" Scout stood there smiling, while the rest of the team looked at him annoyed at his fast talking, sometimes incomprehensible, speech. Engineer speaks again, apologizing for Scouts big mouth, which he takes offence too, explaining what its like around their base. Who the people are and where they eat, meet and talk.

"You don't talk much, do ya'?" Engineer glanced at the short scout as they walked the halls of the base. Shortest recruit he'd ever seen, must have only been 5 feet tall, at most. Shaking their head the scout pointed to their throat. Saddened, he took a good long look at the scout before him. "You're mute then?" a curt nod was all it took for the Engineer to realize just how sick the Administrator was. Recruiting a mute, child looking scout into war, then sending them off to a lost cause in a base full of dying team members.

We're all going to hell for sending the poor scout to it's death.

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**Go on, tell me what you think. **

**I'll try updating as much as I can!**


	2. A Procedure

**It's been pointed out that I made a very obvious, and quite embarrassing, mistake. BLUs push the cart on Badwater, not the REDs. -_- It was something that totally passed my mind while writing it. And because I've already had these RED team members imaged in my head, I can't really change the story around. But if you didn't notice? Then just pretend you didn't read this. :3 Thanks, and enjoy.**

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"C'mon tough guy!" the RED Scout shouted, almost awakening the whole base. It had been a couple of days since the new guy had joined, and the two scouts were currently practicing their swings in the middle of the night atop the RED base. Scout had found the other wandering around in the middle of the halls at night on his way to the bathroom, and figuring he didn't sleep much, invited him to some light hearted practice. "Ya call that a swing? My Ma could swing harder than that!" He chuckled, as the smaller scout swung the bat back and forth before just shrugging, head bowed. "Is it weird not bein' able to talk? I mean, not to offend or anything, but I couldn't THINK what it'd be like without these vocals of mine, ya know?" Scouts smile faulted, as he realized he wouldn't be getting the answer he was quite expecting. Throwing his ball up into the air, he pulled his arms back and swung, hitting it hard. "I mean, it just seems tough, an' everything." As Scout turned back around, due to lack of motion, he saw his practice partner getting down from the roof. "Aye! I didn't mean anything, or nothin'!" His shouts had no effect, for the scout just walked right back into the base, without even motioning he'd heard him.

As the sun rose over Badwater the next morning, the REDs gathered in the mess hall for another defense strategy, readying for another day of loss and defeat. Medic sat at the end of the table fiddling with a new type of syringe, mumbling to himself. Heavy stood in the corner of the room, when he noticed someone very important hadn't showed up for their first battles debriefing. "Where is little, baby scout? Is not fighting with us?" Engineer joined the conversation and stated that, due to the new scout's lack of experience, would just be watching and observing the battle field. "Well that aint bloody fair at all! You're sayin' we gotta be runnin' around down here, with no sodding idea what's goin' on, and that Scout just gets to sit back and enjoy the bloody show?" Sniper stood up abruptly as Demo piped up, "Well, aye, think of it this way," he hiccups and readjusts himself in his chair, "The little lad won't be getting in yer way, now, won't he? Ya know, if yeh fire off any shots with yer gun, there." Enraged, Sniper told him to piss off and walked out of the mess hall, passing the Scout who had woken up a little late. "What's his freakin' problem?" Striding into the room, he sat back in a chair and threw his legs up onto the metal table. Looking around he asked where the new guy was at, receiving multiple sarcastic and annoyed answers.

That same morning, after the long explanation to Scout what was going on, Engineer decided to climb his way up to the living quarters and have a talk with the younger Scout. As he walked closer to the prior empty room, there was a faint clash from somewhere below. He figured it was just Demoman in another drunken state of another argument. When he reached the new scouts room, knocking on the door and announcing it was him, the door slowly swung open. "Sorry to interrupt yah, but I wanted to ask you some not so minor questions, if yah don't mind." The scout just shrugged and, almost uncomfortably, sat at the edge of the bed. Closing the door behind him, Engineer spoke again. "Well, I was talkin' to the boys down there and all, an' I got to thinkin'," He looked at the scout, whose head was down, hat falling down just above his eyes. "Have you ever had the unfortunate occurrence of going through respawn?" The scout shook their head, he didn't think so. "Ah. Well, what about fightin'? You ever done any of that? Or what about the respawn injection?" Again, the only response he received was a shrug. Engineer shook his head in disbelief. "You're gonna need to change that…" He stood there in silence, thinking of how this child could have gotten into this whole ordeal, not that it was any of his business. Though he couldn't help but think something was up. He explained to the scout that he'll take him down to the Medic later that day to receive his injection, before excusing himself back downstairs where the battle was about to start.

"Yeh freakin' dumbass! What right mind did yeh have, runnin' out there like that? It's just embarassin' at this point." Scout was gripping his shoulder while the gouging gash in it oozed. He walked into the empty part of the base after another loss, followed by Demoman and Pyro. "I mean, really? Try leavin' the drink at home, Cyclopes." "Awh, shode up, ya little lad. Take it – _hiccup_ – like a real man."Demoman shrugged off Scouts anger, as Spy strode by. "You two are quite incompetent." He dusted himself off and lit a cigarette, "Now, which one of you wants to tell me what zat scout is doing upstairs? Heh? Because I, unfortunately, did not happen to meet zeh BLU Spy anywhere on zeh battlefield today." "And what's that gotta' do with the newbie?" Scout didn't feel too concerned. Spy looked at him intently, "Well… we wouldn't hear him scream or alert us if he had seen anyone now would he?" Pyro, in some type of panic, ran up the stairs into the living quarters. The rest of the team just stared off as Pyro's muffled yells of hysteria got quieter the farther he went. Scout was the first to break the silence by laughing, soon joined by both Spy and Demoman. "Well, I knew zumbody would fall for it." Engineer walked in then, wondering what the commotion was about, Medic followed in behind him, healing up Scouts shoulder with his medi-gun as he walked pass earning him an appreciative nod. The base settled down for the evening as the normal activities pursued. Soldier was planning, Medic in his lab, and everyone else in a large, almost empty, room just north of the living quarters.

"The bloody battle has been over for hours, doesn't that scout have somethin' to report?" Sniper angrily intervened in a conversation between Heavy, Demo, and Scout who had been debating who would win an eating contest, and Engineer as he was trying to learn from Spy how he could help his sentries from being sapped. Engineer had almost forgotten about the scout, and without really replying to Snipers retort, excused himself from Spy and was off to take the smaller scout to get the respawn injection.

The respawn injection was an unknown substance created by the Australium infected Australians under pure confidentiality that was sold to Redmond, and later Blutarch, Mann that could be used on their great mercenaries and never need to replace them. Though, in their old, crazy stage of life, never thought of using it on themselves. By the time they had thought of it, it was already distributed to their medics, one of which had found out that not every member's body accepts the injection. Instead making them horribly sick, killing them within days. Figuring it wasn't worth it, the Mann brothers never did take it, though they were killed anyways.

As Engineer approached the scouts room on the second floor of the base, a noise was heard coming from within the scouts room. Worried he knocked fast and waited. There was a scurrying behind the door along with, laughter? As the door swung open, again with scout at its front, Engineer saw Pyro standing in the room as well. "How long ave' you been up here?" Pyro just mumbled his response back, patting the small scout on the back before walking out into the hallway. Engineer watched him in confusion before looking back at the scout. "When did you two become such good buddies?" He laughed, "Well, I guess nows the time, if any, to give yah that darn injection. I mean- If ya don't mind or anything." The scout walked out of the room and stood beside Engineer. "Well, Medics office is this way, if you'll follow me."

As the two walked down the bare halls, all Engineer could think about was how the scouts footsteps behind him made barely any to no sound at all. When they finally ariived before the Doctors lab, the scout stopped dead in their tracks. Turning around in confusion Engineer asks, "Afraid of shots?" He laughs, "Really now, whats wrong?" The scout stood there, head down, arms dangling down their sides. "It's not that bad, we've all done it, if that's what yur worryin' about." He pushed open the doors of the Medics office, and the smell of disinfectants and medicine blew out into the hallway.

"Ya know, Doc, I still don't understand how you can sit all day in here with this smell." Medic looked up from his desk, from Engineer to the scout, back to Engineer and smiles. "Oh, eets just one zeh amazing zings us doctors have zeh gift of enjoying. Now," Medic stands up and ushers them inside, "If you'll just com zis way, Scout, and lay down on zis table, here." Scout slowly walked near the hard, metal table. Turning to Engineer, Medic continued. "Now, if zeh don't mind, Engie, zis must be done in zey most secret of ways. Zeh can't know how eet's done." He nodded and wished the scout good luck before walking out of the swinging doors. There was a soft thud as the scout moved upon and sat among the large table. There was an uncomfortable silence as Medic scrambled among his supplies and the scout sat there with head down and body slouched; he asked if there had been any major injuries ever induced, answer of which being no. There were similar yes or no questions asked, and by the end of it, Medic swung around with a large syringe. "I will have to have you sleep for zis, unfortunately. As I had said earlier, you are not really allowed to know how eet is done." This caused the small scout on the table to get anxious. It wasn't the needles, but the fact of being alone with someone, anyone. Rather being alone, completely alone. There was a tense silence as Medic saw the squirming as something almost every patient, getting treated by him particularly, had done. As he walked toward the table, grabbing an oxygen mask on his way, the scout began trembling in fear. Trying to ask what will happen, how the injection works, believing no more that it's just a simple injection. But there was no way to get the words out; no way to tell the medic off, how there was no way an 'injection' like that was going anywhere today. As Medic approached, he stopped every kick or punch the weak scout threw at him, knocking over a metal platter that prior had been propped on a small stand for nearby assistance. The utensils and scalpels went flying, as the commotion in Medics lab preceded, the scouts panic rose out of control, going lightheaded suddenly, began feeling weak. Medic saw this as an opportunity to shove the anesthetic on the scout, pushing the body back onto the table. As the white room began spinning for the scout, eyes falling shut, and the feeling of arms and legs being strapped down, there was complete silence. Only to be followed by a sensation of darkness as Medic continued the procedure, only to find that this scout was not at all what he, or anyone else, expected.


	3. Unexpected

**Within the last month there has been a horrific tragedy in my family, and I wanted to apologize to everyone how inactive I've been. But what's done is done, and I'm back in business.**

**Thanks SO SO SO SO much for sticking out for me. :)**

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Watching the small scout walk forward into the depths of Medics examination room spiked Engineers memories of his first time getting the injection, he recalled his nervousness that he could clearly see in the scout's eyes when he wished the poor boy good luck. It had hurt. The chest was sore for weeks on end, and the throat had been so immensely thick that even dragging in breaths of air caused to be a difficult task. The teammates of both RED and BLU had both had the ability of receiving the frightful injection even before the fighting between the two had begun. They all had the peace at mind that they could rest and become comfortable with their bodies again before the stress of war. This particular red scout, however, would not have such privileges. But the boy would have to strengthen up, be more of a man, the Engineer thought while he walked out into the hall. He joined the war, he sure as hell better be ready for one.

"Aye! Engineer, do yea really think that the lil' Scoot will be doin' anything for the team?" The Scottish man stumbled out of the mess hall, almost colliding into the man he was talking to. "I mean, really. What'sa lil' thing like that doin' out here on the battle field?" At first actually asking the question only to forget he wasn't speaking to himself, the drunkard just kept mumbling as he scrambled along the wall with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Watching the Demoman hilariously trying to make it to another destination within the base, Engineer thought to himself the same question, again. He was starting to find no comfort in having an extra team member by his side, but more of a guilt that his decision to help the REDs only caused a poor young man to be sent into war. Nonetheless, there was going to be a change when he recovers from his injection. Hell, maybe he's gotta thing or two up his sleeve. Engineer thought these reassuring thoughts until he slipped off his boots, and lay in his bed. He dreamt of home, that night.

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The utensils and scalpels went flying, as the commotion in Medics lab preceded, the scout's panic rose out of control, going lightheaded suddenly, began feeling weak. Medic saw this as an opportunity to shove the anesthetic on the scout, pushing the body back onto the table

Medic watched as the small scout before him lost conciseness, watching as his well known hat tumbled off his head of short hair onto the clean, white floor of the office. Taking the opportunity to quickly strap his arms and legs down with the leather constraints, "Such a little vaby… Scared of needles?" he said to himself while snipping open the scout's shirt to start the process. Pulling apart the thin cloth then reaching for the scalpel, Medic was caught off guard by a bandage bound tightly around his chest. "How odd, I vas not informed of an injury!" Fearing it may be a big enough deal to interfere with the injection, Medic grabbed his scissors and tucked the one half of the utensil under the tightly wound bandage. Clipping inch by inch up the small boys chest until the wrap fall in two and unraveled from his body onto the table, the medic stepped back in confusion.

Full breasts were sitting on this formerly known male's body. In awe of the new change, Medic, in confirmation, lightly pressed the back of his gloved hand against the patient's crotch. Definitely no male genitalia. The medic looked more closely at the bo-GIRLs face. Now that the true gender was known of this scout, there was no denying that this was no boy of war. "How could no vun have noticed?" He shook his head and stood there with his hands crossed, thinking, professionally, what he should do with her. Should he go on with the procedure? Surely the administrator should have known what she and her crew were doing, sending a WOMAN to war. And to disobey the administrator is truly not worth the well beings of this foolish woman anyways, right? Pondering on whether telling the team, or maybe just Engineer, he took more care of her than anyone. Maybe just telling him, so she wouldn't freak out about anyone knowing, for she surely had a good reason for disguising herself. Medic stood patiently figuring out what to do, deciding that what must be done to any soldier, must be done to another. Regardless of uncertainties.

"I'll let Engineer know afterwards…" Medic mumbled to himself as he began to carefully slice open her torso, "Now, I hope ze Administrator knows what she is doing…"

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The bright sun showered through the high window in the medic's personal room, which happened to be a portion of his office, as it shown down onto the figure lying in the bed. The streams of light cast upon a young, pale face of a new patient with a sickened feeling in her gut. The morning was not well welcomed for this certain RED scout; not only because she was somewhere foreign to her, but the pain that struck her as soon as she became conscience made her want to die. Pealing open her eyes, ignoring the bright lights in the whitened room, she became aware of what she was wearing. Uncrossing her arms from her chest, she brought up the blankets covering her to see a white hospital gown. Panicking in confusion of how and why she was dressed in such a thing, the scout wanted to yell out to whoever could hear her, but she wouldn't dare. Who knows? She thinks to herself, ignoring her pain for just a moment. Knowing the injection really wasn't that simple of a procedure, she regretted not making up an excuse somehow to avoid this problem all together. She sat there, huffing and puffing for nearly an hour. Too much pain to move correctly, but also too afraid to let anyone know she was there, even if someone had to already, obviously, know. The plain, white bed being laid on was clean and tidy. The rest of the room, however, was even more so. There were no photos, no books, no personal belongings; it seemed, except for what may have laid behind the closet doors that were perpendicular to the neat bed itself.

The door to the room lightly creaked open, and Medics head followed it closely, peaking in to see if the procedure had killed its first female contender. Trying to seem as if though she was sleeping, the scout quickly shut her eyes. Not being fooled by such a childish thing, Medic simply replied, "Zo, you are awake." He strides in, slowly shutting the door, to his own room. "Don't vorry," He reassured her, "I didn't gossip avound zeh base like a little girl. But you know I had to tell _somevun_." The scout lay in bed scared shitless; she had not planned to let anyone know of her situation, it had always meant to be and stay a secret until she could leave this ungodly war. With eyes wide and frightened, Medic looked at the face of a woman who probably wasn't meant to be here in the first place, "Zeh procedure vent vell…. You're not dead, and you've been out for," He glances at the simple clock hanging above the simple door in the simple room, "46 hours." Gripping the sheets unconsciously, the scout looked down at herself in awe. 46 hours? Medic went on with questions, thinking maybe since she was only pretending to be male, that she could now actually regularly communicate. He was wrong. "You really are mute? Vell, I thought maybe…" She shook her head, growing weary that she was all alone in this room with the man, who knew what she was. With her stomach rumbling, Medic stood, excusing himself for her. Upon leaving the room and shutting the door behind him, the small scout broke down in tears. She decided she'll only cry for a moment, she wasn't as weak as her past made her out to be. Tomorrow, she will try to get away.

If only she could leave this damned bed.


End file.
